Sitting at the bar in the middle of the South Pacific, sipping my mai tai, I looked up and thought maybe I had one too many.  There, over the bar, was a photo of the mouth of a Tiger shark…inside was a smaller grey reef shark soon to become the former’s breakfast. 

My first visit to Kia Ora Resort on Rangiroa was in 1990 as part of a scuba diving and cruise expedition.  As an avid diver, scenes like the above-mentioned Tiger shark snacking incident are seldom seen, much less captured on camera. However, some of the divers in the resident dive shop caught this footage one morning in a remote area of the lagoon where divers seldom go.  This type of adventure is only one of the reasons I jumped on the opportunity to return to Rangiroa.  This tropical diving and snorkeling haven, is located in the Tuomoto Islands of the South Pacific. 

My first encounter to Rangiroa brought me face-to-face with a 12-foot grey reef shark while drift diving along the massive underwater reef.  The dive master at the time indicated I was in the shark’s territory, so best to high-tail it out of there…no need to ask me twice!  Upon my return to the island, I of course, had to experience the diving once again with the Blue Dolphin dive shop located on the property.  The waters there are some of the clearest on earth and the variety of fish plentiful as that area in the Tuomotos is so remote, most fishermen don’t make it out that far.  The neighboring island, Fakarava, is known as a UNESCO underwater sight and protected from fishermen.  While my dive this time lacked the adrenaline rush of my first trip, the fish were still plentiful and time stood still over the years in this remote underwater garden.

Kia Ora Resort and her sister property, Kia Ora Sauvage, are one of the last places on earth where you can travel to feel like you’re on your own deserted island.  The Kia Ora Resort is the main property on Rangiroa that has various garden, beachfront, and overwater bungalows…27 in total.  The Resort is fairly simple in its décor fitting to the Polynesian surroundings. They even have their resident eagle rays that feed within their lagoon.  Kia Ora Sauvage is for those truly wanting an escape from reality, as they have only 5 rooms on a separate part of the island…only accessible by boat.  While upscale in flavor, it’s for those wanting the ultimate getaway…no electronics in a setting fit for Robinson Crusoe himself.  The resident manager of both properties, Gerard, has a low key style fitting of the resort, however, runs a very tight ship with the service.  The food is great, and the people eager to provide great service

I am certain that the amazing Rangiroan tranquility will call to me again in my lifetime…I’ll wait patiently until that time.

Sue Waymire, CTC

Frosch Travel Specialist